Watchdog: Sarin, chlorine likely used in Syria in March 2017

Wed., June 13, 2018, 8:55 a.m.

In this Tuesday, June 27, 2017 photo, United Nations special envoy to Syria Staffan de Mistura is seen on a video screen as he listens to a Security council meeting on Syria at U.N. headquarters. (Mary Altaffer / Associated Press)

THE HAGUE, Netherlands – The global chemical weapons watchdog says the nerve agent sarin and toxic chemical chlorine were “very likely” used as weapons in two attacks in central Syria in late March 2017.

The Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons said Wednesday that its Fact-Finding Mission probing alleged attacks in Syria found that “sarin was very likely used as a chemical weapon in the south of Ltamenah” in Hama province on March 24 and that chlorine was very likely used a day later at and near Ltamenah Hospital.

The OPCW’s fact-finding team is not mandated to apportion blame for chemical attacks.

The organization says its findings were based on witness testimony and analysis of samples.